A Loner Among Clans: Book One of the SnowClan Trilogy
by not a straight trumpet
Summary: Many moons have passed since the battle with the Dark Forest, and a new Clan has been formed in the mountains: SnowClan. But something is stirring among the peace. One she-cat is alone among the crowds. This is the story of Mistyheart. First in a planned trilogy, rated T for violence, cat swearing, and angst.
1. Allegiances, Clan Origin, Prologue

**_A/N:_**

_So, this is my first fanfiction, entitled "A Loner Among Clans." It's a Warriors fanfic, features a fan Clan, and is the first in a planned trilogy. It's based a few years after The Last Hope, so everyone from the canon seres is dead. Like in Legend of Korra. Except with cats. And angst. I put a bunch of OC's based on various characters in, so try to spot them all. Constructive criticism is welcome. _

**_Allegiances_**

**SnowClan **

**Leader:** Fernstar. Mother of Mistyheart and Cloverpaw. Has brownish fur streaked

with gray on her head. Very gentle and kind. Formerly from RiverClan, but left

when Mistyheart became an apprentice.

**Deputy:** Mistyheart. Young brown she-cat with cerulean eyes. One ear is orange.

Loves to swim. Apprentice: Darkpaw (jet-black tom with amber eyes)

**Medicine Cat:** Graciepelt. Plump old she-cat with long dark gray fur and green

eyes. Former kittypet name: Gracie. Apprentice: Smoketail (gray tom with blue

eyes)

**Warriors: **

Bumbletail: Smoky gray tom with yellow eyes and a striped yellow-and-black tail.

(A bit of a jokester, but has a big heart and will always serve his Clan)

Apprentice: Softpaw

Emberleap. Black tom with green eyes and long legs. Former kittypet name: Ember. Tinatail's brother. Apprentice: Cloverpaw

Tinatail: Gray tabby she-cat with green eyes and a long thin tail. Has a white

ruff of fur on her chest. Former kittypet name: Tina. Emberleap's sister.

Apprentice: Goldenpaw

Scarpelt: Old, battle-hungry whitish tom with short legs. He is covered in scars

and refuses to join the elders' den even though he is the oldest cat in the Clan.

Frostfeather: White she-cat with short legs and striking blue eyes. Apprentice:

Cloudpaw

Skipper: Gray and black tom with black lightning-shaped birthmarks under his

amber eyes.

Moonclaw: Blue-gray tom with short legs. Apprentice: Sunpaw. Mate: Creamwhisker.

Creamwhisker: Cream-colored she-cat with brown eyes. Mate: Moonclaw. Previously

belonged to ShadowClan. Kits: Sunpaw and Streakpaw.

Violetstripe: Blue-gray she-cat, used to belong to ThunderClan. Her long fur

appears purple in the moonlight. She has distinctive tufts of fur on her ears

and a fiery personality. Apprentice: Streakpaw.

Smallfoot: White tom with short legs and black paws.

Apprentice: Fuzzpaw

Lionfur: Golden-furred tom with blue eyes.

Ashwhisker: Gray-furred she-cat with green eyes and short legs

Robincloud: Brown-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

Mintblaze: Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Queens:**

Icepelt: White she-cat with long fur. Kits: Palekit, Willowkit, Breezekit.

Apprentices:

Darkpaw: Jet-black tom with amber eyes. Mentor: Mistyheart.

Cloverpaw: Brown she-cat with hazel eyes. Mentor: Emberleap.

Sunpaw: Golden she-cat with short legs and green eyes.

Yellowpaw: Golden and white tom with short legs, a star-shaped marking on his

forehead, and amber eyes.

Cloudpaw: Fluffy white tom with short legs and blue eyes. He is deaf.

Rustpaw: Ginger she-cat with bright green eyes.

Softpaw: Brown and white she-cat, only answers to Bristlepaw

Goldenpaw: Cheerful, yellow-furred she-cat with blue eyes

Fuzzpaw: Black and white tom, cheerful and joking like Bumbletail

**Elders: **

Russetflower: Ginger she-cat with amber eyes and short legs.

Tornstripe: Gray and white tom with blue eyes and short legs. Changed his name

to Tornstripe and became and elder when a mountain lion clawed off one of his

legs and left a huge scar.

Fawnleaf: Speckled she-cat with dark green eyes.

**ThunderClan**

**Leader:** Shiningstar: Wise tabby she-cat with green eyes.

**Deputy:** Sparrowclaw: Brown tom with blue eyes.

**Medicine Cat:** Bluewhisker: Blue-gray tom with gray eyes. Apprentice: Threepaw (Small tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Born without her left front leg.)

**Warriors: **

Stormfire: Fierce flame-colored tom

Goldensong: Golden she-cat with brown eyes and a silky tail. (Very beautiful,

refuses to take a mate)

Rippledawn: Brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

Tigerleap: Striped tabby tom with long legs and a long tail.

Dawnblaze: Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes.

Owltooth: Brown tom with yellow eyes.

**Apprentices: **

Dapplepaw: Dappled she-cat with amber eyes.

Bouncepaw: Small brown tom with dark eyes and a short tail. (Like his friend

Tigerleap, loves to jump. Very energetic.)

**ShadowClan**

**Leader:** Oakstar: Brown tom with amber eyes.

**Deputy:** Goldenfeather. Golden she-cat with orange eyes.

**Medicine Cat:** Fernpelt. Yellow-furred she-cat with green eyes.

**Apprentices:**

Batpaw (dark gray tom with big ears)

**Warriors:**

Ambercloud (Batpaw's mentor)

Spikepelt: Blue-gray and black she-cat with violet eyes and white paws.

Pinebreeze: Tortoiseshell tom with yellow eyes. Mate: Robinflower.

Robinflower: Attractive brown she-cat with green eyes. Is slightly clumsy

because she lost half of her tail in a fight.

Ravenflower: Black she-cat with blue eyes. Kit: Batpaw.

**RiverClan**

**Leader:** Shimmerstar: Gray she-cat with striking blue eyes.

**Deputy:** Petalmist: Skinny beige she-cat with green eyes.

**Medicine Cat:** Rabbitwing. White tom with amber eyes.

**Warriors:**

Wolftail: Black and white she-cat with golden eyes. She wears a pink

flower in her ear.

Briarhaze: Blue-gray tom with green eyes.

Emberflower: Orange tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Badgertail: Black and white she-cat with blue eyes

Goldenstreak: Gray tom with hazel eyes and a yellow stripe down his back.

**Elders:**

Lilywind: Blue-gray she-cat with calm green eyes.

Goldenmist: Gold-furred she-cat with blue eyes.

**Apprentices:**

Amberpaw: Tawny she-cat with amber eyes.

**WindClan**

**Leader:** Ashstar. Gray tom with brown eyes.

**Deputy:** Dustberry. Brown tom with green eyes.

**Medicine Cat:** Echofern: Tawny she-cat with amber eyes. Apprentice:

Honeyblaze (Honey-colored tom with amber eyes)

**Kits:** Cherrykit. Tortoiseshell with blue eyes. (Mother died before the story

begins)

**Warriors:**

Bramblestorm: Brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Scarletheart: Black she-cat with amber eyes.

Sagefur: Black and white tom with green eyes

Swiftclaw: Gray and white tom with gray eyes.

**Cats Outside of Clans**

Cricket: Black and white loner tom with brown eyes.

Pebble: Black-and-white blind kittypet

Cinder: Tabby tom with a scar on the left side of his face

Breeze: White tom with a blue-gray stripe on his head.

Sandfang: Tawny she-cat with blue eyes.

Rosefang: Pale reddish she-cat with pink eyes

**Tribe of Rushing Water:**

**Healer: **Stoneteller: Brown tom with blue eyes. Father of Rabbit That Bounds Down Mountain

**Cave-guards:**

Rabbit that Bounds Down Mountain (Rabbit): Brown-furred tom with a stripe on his head and a crooked tail.

Cloud That Gleams: Silver-furred she-cat with blue eyes.

Bolt That Breaks Clouds: Black-furred tom with yellow eyes.

**Prey-hunters:**

Stream that Gently Ripples: Brown-furred she-cat with blue eyes.

Pond In Leaf-bare: Blue-gray tom with pale green eyes.

**To-bes:**

Floating Feather In The Wind: Brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Fog Waning In The Night: Silver tabby tom with dark blue eyes.

**Feline Titans **

A small group of Clan cats, loners, and kittypets that work to protect the

Clans, and were given honorary warrior names.

Robinwing: Black and gray tom with pale eyes. (ThunderClan)

Flamepool: Red and tawny she-cat with green eyes. (SkyClan)

Mossear: Cream-colored tom with green eyes. (RiverClan)

Rockwhisker: Brown tom with a scar on his left eye. Was injured in a fight and

lost several parts of his body, but was found by Twolegs and given replacement

parts. (WindClan)

**Clan Backstory**

Many moons after the epic battle between StarClan and the Dark Forest, five cats from each Clan realized that they were not suited to life in their Clan, and

sought each other out. They met each night, and decided to form their own Clan.

They would live in the mountains, the cats established, and would hunt in the snow.

They would call themselves SnowClan. They talked to their leaders, who approved

of the idea. After all, every Clan needed allies, and forming a group with an

even number of cats from each Clan would help the cats survive. The cats left

the lake and trekked high up into the mountains. Finally, after searching for a

home, the cats found one. It was a large cave similar the one that belonged to the

Tribe of Rushing Water, with tunnels leading into smaller caves that could be

used for dens. There was even a cave to replace the Moonpool, a small pond

covered in a layer of ice that would never melt, even in greenleaf. It was

called the Starpond. StarClan approved.

Later on, the medicine cat, a tom by the name of Berryclaw, who

had been one of the original twenty cats who had journeyed here, discovered that

by crushing berries, dipping his claws in the juice, and scratching the juice on

the walls of the cave in which the Clan lived, he could create paintings that

would last forever. The medicine cat eagerly told his news to the rest of the

Clan. They immortalized heroic warriors, old stories told by elders, epic

battles, and warnings to kits about the dangers of the mountains.

In the Starpond cave, the twenty cats who had founded SnowClan

were painted onto the walls with extreme care. It took two moons, and the cats

who painted it were exhausted by the time they were done. But the result was a

beautiful mural that will stand for generations to come. The berrypaint soon

became a central part of life in SnowClan, and helped define the young Clan.

Moons passed. The SnowClan cats began to adapt to the harsh life

of the mountains, growing thick fluffy pelts that were usually paler colored

then those of the Clans by the lake so that they could hunt in the snow without

being noticed by prey. SnowClan kits were often born with short legs and big,

flat paws so that they could dig through the snow and walk on it. Some wise cats

realized that by taking prey to a chamber at the summit of the mountain, they

could freeze it and store it for the harsh leaf-bare, when blizzards would

strike, wind would howl, and kits would be swept out of the cave and off of the

cliff.

Only one of the twenty original cats remained, and she missed her

old WindClan more than anything. The Clan was rather small, and they needed more

cats to help them hunt and fight the rogues that sometimes came to attack them

for food. So that final cat, Whispertail, sent out a patrol of sturdy SnowClan

warriors, along with the currant leader and medicine cat, to the lake Clans.

Together, they formed a pact. Once in newleaf and once in greenleaf, SnowClan

would journey down the mountains to the lake. They would scatter and stay with

the Clan they were most comfortable with, while looking for new cats to join the

ranks of SnowClan. Some would wander around Twolegplace, looking for kittypets

or rogues to join as well. At the end of the moon, they would join for a

Gathering. The leader of SnowClan would address the cats just as the leader of

any of the other Clans would, sharing news of good hunting, kits born, and

apprentices made warriors. At that point, any cat who was interested in joining SnowClan would announce this, and the kittypets and rogues would come and announce this too. The cats would say their farewells, and the newly expanded Clan would return to the mountains.

SnowClan has thrived for many generations because of this pact with the Clans, their superb hunting skills (with no rivals except for the Tribe of Rushing Water, who are usually peaceful) and their ability to survive in the cold.

**A Loner Among Clans: Book One of the SnowClan Trilogy**

**Prologue**

Four cats sat around a pool of sparkling water. Many sat behind them, hoping to

get a glimpse of the prophesied cat. The clear leader, a flame-pelted tom, began

to speak.

"This cat will save the newest Clan, SnowClan. Take a look," the fiery tome meowed. The other three, a blue-gray she-cat, a gray tom, and a small black tom peered into the pool. A small brown kit twitched at her mother's stomach. One of her ears was orange and slightly bigger than the other.

"Pffft. That thing? Look at it! It's weaker than a kittypet!" A brown tom ridiculed as he walked up to the four cats.

A flame-colored she-cat stood up and glared at the tom.

"If I remember correctly, Dustpelt, there was once a rather powerful

cat who saved the Clans twice who was a kittypet for the first few moons of his

life."

Dustpelt backed away, but some cats began to murmur amongst themselves,

contemplating the lack of power in this strange kit. The blue-gray she-cat

stiffened, her fur standing on end.

"When the mist rises, the wolf will no longer howl with the moon,"

she whispered.

"So be it," the flame-colored tom replied. "This cat will save the

Clan."


	2. Chapter One: It Begins

Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_

_Review(s)_

Indira: Wow, this is great! Make more please! :D

_Thank you! I will try to update quickly. I actually have a couple of chapters ready, but I'm probably going to space them out a little more so that I have some ready if I get writer's block._

_Here's the first chapter, in which we get to meet our (sometimes angsty) protagonists and the deceptively "fun and perky" antagonist. Also, I just realized that I mentioned a cat in this chapter that doesn't actually appear in the allegiances. Whoops. I'll try to fix that as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!_

"Cloverkit, you shall now be known as Cloverpaw. Emberleap, the Clan admires your determination and spirit. We hope that you will pass these skills on to Cloverpaw."

As Cloverpaw's mother and SnowClan leader Fernstar completed the ceremony, Emberleap licked the small rust-colored she-cat on the shoulder.

Mistyheart looked at her younger sister with pride. The Clan deputy's young, rambunctious littermate would be in good paws with Emberleap, Mistyheart knew. But she couldn't help but worry for the little she-cat. Cloverpaw had always been adventurous. StarClan only knows what could happen to the new apprentice on a hunting patrol in the harsh, cold mountains. Mistyheart dismissed the thought and began to assign patrols.

"Frostfeather, Smallfoot, Moonclaw, you go patrol the border." The three cats nodded and walked out.

"Emberleap, do you mind taking Darkpaw with you and Cloverpaw in the training chamber? He wants a little bit of help with his hunting crouch." The tom nodded and took the two apprentices into the training chamber.

"I'll go hunting with Violetstripe and Skipper." Mistyheart's two friends, a blue-gray she-cat by the name of Violetstripe and a gray and black

former loner called Skipper, padded over to Mistyheart. Fernstar went back into the leader's den.

"Last one to the summit's a mousebrain!" Violetstripe called. Skipper chased after her with a cheerful glint in his amber eyes. Mistyheart ran

behind them. The mountain air was crisp and just warm enough for Violetstripe not to freeze her tail off. Mistyheart pounded behind her friends, taking in the sweet scents and beautiful view. When she was right behind Skipper's fluffy tail, she bunched her haunches and leaped over him, only to crash in front of the tom and land on her stomach. He skidded to a halt.

"Mistyheart, are you okay?" he asked. She nodded as Violetstripe walked back to stand over her.

"Let's just hunt now," Violetstripe suggested. Mistyheart gratefully agreed and continued walking, her brown tail trailing in the snow.

...

The trio walked around, tasting the air for the scent of mouse, rabbit, or even eagle. Mistyheart suddenly dropped into a hunter's crouch, flicking her tail in the direction of a plump snow hare, oblivious to the three young warriors staring intently at it. Mistyheart tensed and sprang, delivering a clean blow to the hare's neck. She may not be the quickest or agile feline, but Mistyheart could hunt with the best of them.

The young cats came back with Mistyheart's snow hare and a few small mice. They dropped their catches onto the fresh-kill pile. The sun was low in the sky when they came back, so Mistyheart padded back to her den in the cave. SnowClan's mountain had many, many chambers linked in a most confusing way, so the cats who founded SnowClan had painted directions in berrypaint for any cat who got lost. Because of these many chambers, if somebody wanted their own den, they could have it. Most chose to sleep with other cats, but Mistyheart preferred to be alone. Other than Violetstripe and Skipper, she did not have many friends.

The young she-cat had learned the hard way that trust is not a thing to be taken lightly, and she spent a lot of time on her own. Mistyheart had always been uncomfortable at the Gatherings that SnowClan had every moon with the Tribe of Rushing Water, even more so during the Gatherings with ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan in newleaf and greenleaf. She was an observer, silently knowing. She knew the optimistic Tribe she-cat Leaf That Floats Through Clouds, the cold and strange ShadowClan warrior Spikepelt, and the equally cold and strange apprentice of her home SnowClan, Softpaw (who would only answer to Bristlepaw) who was only friendly with the kits of her mother's sister. But most of all, she knew the cat she considered a rival and enemy, Wolftail.

Wolftail, a sinister and cruel bully. Pure evil, in Mistyheart's eyes. Most Clan cats thought of cruelty and darkness as represented by the tabby-striped, scarred tom tyrant leader painted in legend on the SnowClan caves. But all Mistyheart could think of was a pink flower and piercing golden eyes. For Wolftail was actually quite attractive and beautiful, beloved by all the Clans. Her sleek black-and-white fur shone in the sunlight, her golden eyes always sparkling with joy. She even wore a pink flower in her right ear, only adding to the beauty that was this RiverClan warrior. She was brave, swift, strong, and proud. But behind this lovely exterior lay cold malice and a sinister smile.

As a pastime, Mistyheart liked to imagine what the aura of a cat would be just by watching them and observing their actions. Her own was a gently pulsing cerulean and violet. Violetstripe's was green; wild and free like the she-cat herself. Skipper's was red and yellow, eager and cheerful. Most of the auras were pleasant, but Wolftail's was a dark crimson, showing the darkness lying beneath her beauty. Wolftail made Mistyheart's life miserable. She taunted her, teased her, humiliated her in front of other warriors at Gatherings. And she was never punished. Not once.

Some of her Clanmates, like the cheerful jokester Bumbletail, who was one of the friendliest cats Mistyheart had met, had seen Wolftail's relentless bullying directed at Mistyheart. But he simply thought that they were being playful. Because every tom, regardless of Clan, wanted Wolftail as their mate. She coldly dismissed them, flicking her black-and-white ear to show off the pink flower that rested there. But the toms had no idea that they had been rejected. It was said that even Oakstar and Ashstar, leaders of ShadowClan and RiverClan, were stricken by her beauty. Proud leaders, fawning over a she-cat half their age in another Clan! It was mousebrained and ridiculous. But Mistyheart felt Wolftail's icy claws hold down her life, shattering her.

She told Violetstripe and Skipper about Wolftail's true self. They believed her, although Skipper was reluctant to accept that the "Sensational Flower" of the Clans was so cruel. She also told her mother, for one's relatives should know of something like this as well. But telling those three cats was of small comfort, for the rest of the Clans were drooling over the two-faced she-cat like a new apprentice at a juicy rabbit. She-cats wanted to be like her, toms wanted her as a mate. Only four cats knew of her true intentions. Of her true malice.

...

But there was a fifth. Far away, in ShadowClan territory, a dark-furred she-cat with striking violet eyes slunk among the marsh that ShadowClan called home, hunting in the dead of night. She worked best in the nighttime, without the patrols and daytime creatures distracting her. As she silently moved, the she-cat mulled over the fluffy black-and-white warrior beloved by all of her Clanmates. The she-cat, cloaked in a strange pelt-like Twoleg garment, had always been distant from her Clanmates. And she knew. She knew of Wolftail's intentions. Silent, she struck her prey.

...


	3. Chapter Two: Never Give Up Hope

Chapter Two

"Nngh. Ugh. Urk!" Mistyheart twitched in her sleep, pained by what

was happening in her head.

Mistyheart was surrounded by flames. A cold, sinister voice hissed

in the shadows.

"Wheh heh heh. You will never be like them. You will never be

perfect. Everything you do is flawed, and you fight for it. Why? Why not join

us, where we are all the same. There is no difference. We are all one mind. But

no. You think that what you do is valiant, noble, maybe even _brave_. It's not.

You are fighting yourself, and it's a battle you're losing. Join us, and you

will be perfect." A ghastly image of what she had always feared herself becoming

appeared out of smoke and crimson fire.

"NOOOO!" Mistyheart awoke panting in her nest of moss and

feathers. Clutching the little black-and-white toy dog her mother had made for

her out of feathers, fur and other oddities when she was a kit, Mistyheart lay

awake, mulling over the nightmare.

Fire. Why did it always have to be fire? She had always hated fire, ever since one of the elders told her a story about a Twoleg nest being destroyed in a fire. The story was supposed to be hopeful, but Mistyheart couldn't sleep for days afterwards. Of course, there was also the story of the flame-cat, but that leader of legend wasn't really made of fire. And that horrible voice, cruel and taunting. It wasn't Wolftail's voice, that

she knew all too well. Wolftail's voice was dripping with honey and sarcasm, a

bitter combination that attracted all but Mistyheart. It was something darker,

something that came from her own mind. She was fighting herself, a battle she

was losing. Mistyheart dismissed the thought and headed out to the main chamber

for the dawn patrol.

"Hey, Mistyheart!" Bumbletail yowled. Mistyheart turned her head

sharply, wondering what it was that the young tom wanted. She padded over to

him, noticing that a rather bad-tempered apprentice was sulking in a corner.

"What?" she asked. Other than the sulky apprentice, whom she

identified as Softpaw, nothing seemed wrong.

"Softpaw here . . ."

"Bristlepaw," the apprentice retorted.

"_Bristlepaw_ won't do anything I say."

Softpaw was Bumbletail's apprentice, and she was known for having

a wicked temper. Mistyheart chuckled. She had always secretly rather liked

Softpaw's stubborn attitude. The little brown-and-white she-cat was only

friendly with her cousins Goldenpaw, Fuzzpaw, and Lionfur. To all other cats,

including her fellow apprentices, she was cold and snappy. But Mistyheart

figured that she had a pretty good grasp on just why Softpaw was being difficult

to her mentor. Mistyheart crouched down to the young she-cat's eye level.

"He's calling you Softpaw, isn't he?" Mistyheart asked. Softpaw

nodded.

"And you don't like that name?" Softpaw nodded again and flicked

her ear.

"Softpaw is such a dumb name. It makes me seem weak, just like

the other she-cats around here. Don't you hate being a she-cat? Everyone

expecting you to have kits someday . . ." Softpaw shuddered at the thought. "The

toms are lucky, _they_ don't have to have kits."

"So I call myself Bristlepaw," she finished. Mistyheart nodded in

understanding.

"Well, I think that Bristlepaw's quite a fitting name, much better

than Softpaw," she replied.

"You really think so?" Bristlepaw's piercing blue eyes shone with

joy from the comment. Mistyheart nodded again.

"Thanks, Mistyheart!" Bristlepaw scampered over to where the other

apprentices were sitting to tell them of what the Clan deputy had told her.

Bumbletail, who had been sitting there the entire time, stood with his jaw

gaping.

"How do you do it, Mistyheart, I'll never know. Soft-" Mistyheart

silenced him with a glare. "Bristlepaw was bothering me all day, and yet she

listened to you just with a few encouraging words. No wonder Fernstar chose you

to be deputy, you're incredible!" The tom sauntered away cheerfully. Mistyheart

watched after him as he went outside to patrol, glad of his praise. It helped

erase the dark thoughts of her dream last night.

She had to wonder why Bumbletail was having such trouble with

little Bristlepaw. Bumbletail was a good-natured cat, always making jokes and

ready to offer a smile. Mistyheart guessed that he had talked down to Bristlepaw

and made her feel weak without meaning it. Meanwhile, Bristlepaw was telling her

fellow apprentices to only call her by that name, and not Softpaw.

Mistyheart saw the little rebellious she-cat as an echo of

herself, and never wanted Bristlepaw to see the same hurt that she had. But she

knew that Bristlepaw was stronger and tougher than she was, and was confident in

the apprentice. Mistyheart smiled. "Never give up, Bristlepaw. Never let that

fire be extinguished, because some will try to tame you and make you into

something you're not. And sometimes you'll believe them. But never lose hold of

who you truly are, for if you do, it may haunt you forever. Some fires hurt and

destroy, but others blaze new trails. Keep that fire burning, Bristlepaw, for it

is one not to be feared. Keep it burning forever," she whispered as her voice

was lost on the breeze. "Never give up hope."


	4. Chapter Three: Blizzard of Failure

Well?"

"Nothing. No foxes, badgers, or rogues. I don't know what it is, but it's making it hard to concentrate."

"Mossear?"

"Uhh, dude, why would I know?"

"Dude? What in the name of StarClan does that even mean?"

"I dunno. I just heard some Twolegs saying it and thought it would fit."

"Mossear, how do you even understand Twoleg?"

"I don't. Good ole' Spiky here translated it for me."

"You can speak Twoleg?"

"Somewhat. And don't call me Spiky."

"C'mon, you're a natural! And it could help us! I mean, dude, just think of if we could have Twolegs on our side! The Clans would be safe once and for all!"

"Mossear?"

"Yeah?"

"That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard."

"It's not a dumb idea, dude!"

"And there's that word again."

"What word, dude?"

"I give up."

"You have to concentrate, Darkpaw," Mistyheart softly coached her apprentice. Darkpaw excelled in most activities, but his jet-black pelt made it difficult. "Make your body as low as possible, so that the prey doesn't see you coming until it's too late." A small bird hopped around in the snow, oblivious to its soon destruction.

"Don't worry, Mistyheart. I've got this." Darkpaw leaped at the bird, but it saw him coming and flew away. Darkpaw awkwardly crashed into the snow. The apprentice drooped his head, his fragile pride broken by the miss.

"I can't do this, Mistyheart. I should just go and join the elders, or maybe make myself useful for once and become a medicine cat," he said bitterly. Mistyheart watched Darkpaw's shape head off through the mountains. She sat in the snow, wondering what she could do to comfort him.

'What do I say in this kind of situation, where an apprentice's self-confidence is at stake?' she thought. Not for the first time, Mistyheart wished that her mother Fernstar had given Darkpaw to somebody more experienced, like the ancient Scarpelt or even her friend Skipper. Scarpelt would teach the little tom discipline, or Skipper would make him feel cheerful and good about himself. Mistyheart didn't want to do anything to hurt Darkpaw's feelings, but she knew that there was a snowstorm brewing and Darkpaw would be caught in it. She chased after the disappearing apprentice.

"Mistyheart!" she heard her mother yowl. "Get back in the cave, there's a blizzard!"

"I can't!" she yowled back. "My apprentice is stuck in this weather and he could die!" Mistyheart raced after Darkpaw's fading shape until he disappeared completely. "No . . ." she whispered. But it was wasted breath. Darkpaw might be dead already. The wind carried away her words, catching the cold air stinging in her throat. _But I won't give up, _she thought. "Darkpaw!" Mistyheart called. "Darkpaw, where are you?" She ran and ran, thinking only one word: why? Why did Darkpaw have to run off? Why couldn't Mistyheart stop him? Why was she so horrible at this, and everything else?

Finally, Mistyheart saw something lying in the snow. She padded up to it, seeing now that it was Darkpaw, his fur soaked with melted snowflakes. She gently nudged the little apprentice. His heart was beating, but very faintly. "Darkpaw? You okay?" she meowed. Darkpaw slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head.

"Mistyheart . . . go away. Just leave me here." Darkpaw closed his eyes again as he faded into unconsciousness.

Mistyheart looked at him with a glint of rough determination in her eyes.

"No. You are going back to camp, and nothing you say will ever stop me." The young warrior picked Darkpaw's limp body up by the scruff and began to drag Darkpaw back to the camp as the blizzard intensified. The air was thick with snowflakes and hail. It almost became impossible to see. The she-cat's brown fur was blown in all directions, becoming coated in frost. "What the Dark Forest am I going to do if it gets any worse?" Mistyheart growled under her breath, squinting to try and find the nice, warm SnowClan cave. "No wonder they say you can't see a paw in front of your face," she continued to mutter. She experimentally lifted her paw, and it only appeared as a shadow. Looking down at little Darkpaw, she realized that his pulse was becoming weaker. Feeling a surge of determination, Mistyheart pushed forward. After what seemed to be hours of walking and dragging her apprentice, Mistyheart finally reached the gaping entrance of her home.

"Bristlepaw, Lionfur, Fuzzpaw, look! I do believe that that's a monster, and a rather scary one at that!" Goldenpaw yowled. Mistyheart chuckled, perhaps she looked like a monster, with her matted fur and carrying a limp body.

"Hey, that's not a monster, that's Mistyheart!" Skipper meowed.

"Well, good riddance if they're any different, both just drain the Clan of resources," Scarpelt, an old gray-furred tom that refused to retire and become an elder despite being the oldest cat in SnowClan, growled. Mistyheart pretended not to hear the remark and took Darkpaw over to the medicine cat, Smoketail. Smoketail immediately started to warm up Darkpaw by rubbing him with his paws.

"He's in good paws, Mistyheart. Don't worry, you got him here just in time," Smoketail reassured her. But the she-cat was already gone, a trail of melting snow behind her.

Armed with a clump of the luminous moss she had found in a chamber when she was a kit and some berrypaint, Mistyheart raced down the familiar tunnels, trying to leave the dark thoughts behind her. But they clung to her like her own shadow, never to leave. After reaching the end of one tunnel, where SnowClanners of generations past had written their own thoughts on the walls. There had been pain here, Mistyheart felt it quivering in the air. Perhaps there had been another lost she-cat like her, different and insecure. But if there had been pain, there was also a great deal of strangeness. "Tigerstar lives" was scrawled out on one wall, and on another there was a picture of a strange kitten with "Beware" written below it. At the end of the tunnel, she scratched out a single word in jagged lettering.

"Why."


End file.
